Illinois State Police use plane’s infrared system to locate missing teen near Dupo

The Illinois State Police announced Wednesday that officers with the ISP’s air wing helped find a teenage boy who was reported missing Tuesday afternoon in a wooded area near Dupo.

Using their forward-looking infrared system, officers in the ISP airplane located the boy and brought him back to his family two hours later, the State Police reported.

“Teamwork is what quickly and safely resolved this situation and I would like to thank the Dupo Police Department for their assistance,” said Col. Tad Williams, ISP Division of Operations deputy director. “This is just one example of the great work police officers perform on a daily basis. This also serves as an example of the importance for investing in different technologies for use in law enforcement.”

On Tuesday, at about 3:40 p.m., an ISP trooper was flagged down by a motorist on Interstate 255 near Dupo. The motorist said he was worried about the well-being of his teenage son because he had not returned home from school. The motorist also reported that he was also receiving concerning texts from his child.

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An approximate location of the teenager was determined and additional troopers and officers with the Dupo Police Department arrived in the area to begin searching for the teen.

In addition to the officers on the ground, officers with the ISP Air Operations Command responded to the area and began a search from the air. Using the infrared system, officers in the plane were able to locate the teen in a wooded area. The officers in the air were able to guide ground units to the location of the teenager.

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